Grianan of Aileach featured in award winning Trans-Atlantic VR Project

The Friends of The Derry Walls have announced that they have recently taken part in a unique trans-Atlantic Virtual Reality (VR) Project titled “History & Heroes” which has been trialed on the Grianan of Aileach, with a view to replicating it on a larger scale on our famous Derry Walls. The project this week has just won several major awards.

Travis May, President of Texas based tech company I2I OPS who led the project stated: “History & Heroes is a transformative virtual reality (VR) platform that preserves Northern Ireland’s cultural heritage while forging global connections.

"From November 2024 until April 2025, Ulster University students partnered with Texoma Christian School (TCS) in Texas (U.S.), and with the Friends of the Derry Walls to create a multiplayer VR lesson on the Grianán of Aileach, achieving a 96.4% experiential retention rate and 8.8-9.3 engagement scores.

"This initiative digitally safeguards historic sites, fostering deep cultural bonds, as TCS students rated their connection to Irish heritage.

"The program also equipped students with collaboration and research skills, surpassing traditional methods. With potential to expand to sites like the Walls of Derry, History & Heroes unites communities through shared history, offering a scalable model to inspire future generations. This platform aims to amplify Northern Ireland’s heritage, blending immersive storytelling with educational innovation to create a lasting legacy of cultural pride and global understanding.

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"Only this week, we have learned that the project has won five “Vega Digital Awards” in the US for digital work that leads, inspires and delivers impact across industries. We were delighted to be working with Ulster University and the Friends of the Derry Walls, and hope in the future to develop the project further, this time focusing on the much larger historic Derry Walls.”

Niall McCaughan, Chair of the Friends of the Derry Walls stated: “Through one of our Board Members Edel Griffin who lectures in Magee, Ulster University, we were asked to take part in a groundbreaking transatlantic project which was trialed on the Grianan of Aileach just across the border. The University was contacted by Travis May, President Texas based tech company I2IOps which focuses on bringing technology and communities together, to see if they wished to be involved in a unique tech project titled “History & Heroes.

Edel Griffin, Travis May & Niall McCaughan, History & Heroes VR Project.

"This is quite possibly a first in Ireland, where students on both sides of the Atlantic working with others have created a unique experience. Students in the US can now experience visiting major heritage sites in Ireland. Now that the Grianan part is complete, we hope, pending funding, that the Derry Walls as N.Ireland’s largest and most impressive state monument, will be next on the list.

"We thank the Ulster University as well as Travis for inviting us to take part in the innovative project, which has just win several awards and look forward to the next phase.”

Edel Griffin, Lecturer, Ulster University stated: “At the Department of Global Business and Enterprise, we recognize the importance of connecting the University with international partners, local communities and our students to drive innovative collaborative projects that benefit the Northwest.

"It was a pleasure to bring together global digital experts, local business and community leaders and our own history students to co-create this forward-thinking learning experience.  Over the spring semester, a group of our first-year history students volunteered their time and energy to help develop a virtual model of An Grianán of Aileach – a monument that holds deep meaning for communities across the region.

"They brought its story to life recreating its story from early Neolithic times through to its 19thcentury reconstruction. "

Travis May and Niall McCaughan Experiencing VR at Tech Orientation January 2025.

Highlighting the benefits of virtual reality, she continued: "Using immersive VR headsets, our students met with their peers from Texas in real time on the virtual monument, guiding them through its rich, layered history in a way that no textbook ever could. The fact that students in Texas now know what it feels like to stand and learn on one of Ireland’s most ancient monuments is a powerful example of how technology is transforming education.

"The ancient site at Grianán has stood watch over the Northwest for thousands years and now it also stands at the frontier of a new digital world – one that is accessible, immersive and globally connected.

"This project doesn’t just reimagine how we teach and learn; it opens a new portal for sharing our heritage, supporting local enterprise and attracting visitors through meaningful, technology-driven storytelling.  I’m excited to see what’s next – especially as we turn our attention to the iconic Derry Walls.”